Paint is used as a decorative and protective finish on many surfaces including walls, furniture and the exterior siding of buildings. One device to apply the paint is a paint brush. The cost of a paint brush can vary depending upon the material from which the bristles are made. The paint brush purchased and used by a homeowner can have bristles made of a synthetic material and be relative inexpensive. In contrast, the paint brush of the professional painter can have bristles made of a natural material, e.g., oxtail, horsehair, or the like, which results in the paint brush being relatively expensive. Both the homeowner and the professional have a strong desire to protect their paint brushes to extend the useful life of the paint brush. Unfortunately, the bristles of the paint brush are often damaged.
When the paint brush is not in use it is often placed in a tool box or chest, on a work bench or in another environment where tools, sides of the box and other items can bend, distort or otherwise damage the bristles. When the bristles are bent or distorted it is difficult to achieve the desired finish. The bristles are often wet with a solvent such as mineral spirits or paint thinner which can ruin paint, leave stains, damage tools and cause damage to other items with which the bristles come in contact. The solvent can also end up on the brush handle which makes the handle messy to the user. If the solvent evaporates completely the dried out bristles can assume the shape which they were last in and become permanently damaged. A dry stiff paint brush must first be softened in a solvent before use which is inconvenient to the painter.
Many paint brushes are sold without a protective cover or with only a covering made of thin, sheet-form plastic or paper. Painters have attempted to protect their paint brushes by rewrapping them in the sheet-form plastic or paper or in rags. These methods of protecting the bristles do not prevent them from being bent or distorted during storage and have other shortcomings. The sheet-form plastic can deteriorate upon exposure to the solvent and ruin the paint brush. The paper or rag can become saturated with the solvent which is undesirable in maintaining the bristles in a moist condition. The solvent is readily available from the deteriorated plastic or saturated paper or rag to cause the aforementioned problems with the items with which the solvent comes in contact.
To help maintain the bristles in good condition, a comb is utilized to comb the bristles. Combing helps remove particulate matter from the bristles and separates the bristles to ensure the bristles can move independently of each other. Bristles that move independently provide a smoother paint finish. Unfortunately, the comb is not kept with the brush and the painter must search through his tools to locate the comb. The comb can be damaged, e.g., by being bent or having teeth removed, by other tools. A comb that is bent or missing teeth is less effective. Combs can be made of metal to protect them but metal combs can damage the other tools. Combs having handles to provide leverage to help remove stubborn material from the bristles take up a relatively large amount of space when one considers the number of times they are used.
Painters have a strong desire for a device to protect the bristles of their paint brushes and protect the environments in which the paint brush is stored from solvent on the bristles. Also, there is a strong desire to maintain the bristle in a moist condition for an extended period of time without contaminating the surrounding environment. Painters also desire a comb that is compact, readily available and protected from its environment. The present invention satisfies one or more of these desires.